A 28-year-old woman had her hands tied up and her mouth duct taped by two men who robbed her bikini shop in Brazil on Saturday.
Juliana Ribeiro said she normally would keep the door locked at her downtown Cuiabá location and primarily allowed women only to enter her store, according to online news portal G1.
But on Saturday, Ribeiro allowed one of the men to enter the shop after he claimed he was there to purchase a bikini for his wife. She then forgot to lock the door behind her - giving the other alleged thief access as well.
'When he arrived I asked him what (he wanted) because I don't usually open the door to men,' Ribeiro said. 'He said he wanted to buy a bikini for his wife. So, I opened it to see him.'
Juliana Ribeiro attempts to run from two thieves who robbed her bikini shop in Cuiabá, Brazil, on Saturday. The suspects beat her, tied her hands behind her back, and duct taped her mouth before escaping with a radio, $951 in merchandise, and her car, which has been located. The robbers are still on-the-run
Juliana Ribeiro has her mouth shut with duct tape during a robbery at her bikini shop in Cuiabá, Brazil, on Saturday. She told online news portal G1 that the assailants wanted her to wire them money, but they grew restless after she refused to do so
A surveillance camera showed the man looking over several bikinis that were spread on top of a counter. Moments later, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at Ribeiro.
Ribeiro was led into a dressing room and then was walked out it moments later by both assailants amidst loud screams.
She attempted to run from the men and was struck in the face before she was taken to an office in the shop where the robbers bounded her hands behind her back and placed duct tape over her mouth.
Ribeiro destroyed a sheetrock wall inside the office and fled through a hole before seeking help from a neighbor.
One of the assailants was able to walk inside Brazilian bikini store after telling owner Juliana Ribeiro that he wanted to buy a bikini for his wife. Ribeiro told digital news site G1 that he has a policy of only allowing women inside her stop, but still allowed the man to enter her business before he and a male accomplice assaulted her Saturday
Surveillance camera captures the two store thieves walking up to Juliana Ribeiro's car before escaping with $951 in merchandise
She said the suspects grew restless after she refused to wire them money from her account.
'It was then that he took me to the dressing room, then he started attacking me, took me to the back of the store, tied me up and covered my mouth with tape,' Ribeiro said.
The thieves stole $951 in merchandise, a radio, and her vehicle, which they escaped on. Police found the car abandoned.
'I thought they would kill me because I wouldn't transfer,' Ribeiro said. 'I was terrified, scared. Despite the trauma that remains, now I'm fine.'
No arrests had been made as of Monday.